REVIEW: The Diabolic (#1) - S. J. Kincaid

The Diabolic (#1) - S. J. Kincaid*
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Series: The Diabolic
Format: E-Book / Paperback
Pages: 403 Pages
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Received from NetGalley for an honest review (I did actually pick a paperback copy up myself, so read between the two)*

Goodreads Blurb

Nemesis is a Diabolic. Created to protect a galactic Senator's daughter, Sidonia. The girl who has grown up by her side and who is as much as sister as a master. There's no one Nemesis wouldn't kill to keep her safe. But when the power-mad Emperor summons Sidonia to the galactic court as a hostage, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia.

She must become her.

Now one of the galaxy's most dangerous weapons is masquerading in a world of corruption and Nemesis has to hide her true abilities or risk everything. As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns that there is something stronger than her deadly force: the one thing she's been told she doesn't have - humanity. And, amidst all the danger, action and intrigue, her humanity might be the only thing that can save her, Sidonia and the entire Empire.

Thoughts

When this book came out the amount of hype around this was crazy, everyone and their dog was loving this book.
With hype I end up staying as far away from the book as possible and wait for it to die down, and with this one the hype was true to it's word.

I found myself surprised by how much I did enjoy this book. I assumed with something like the world that Nemesis and Sidionia reside in, the start of the book was going to be so slow. I was absolutely surprised with how well the world building was written, I just breezed through it and enjoyed every minute.

I loved Nemesis as a character, and found her growth through the book to be well written, she reminded me a bit of Bambi. She is sent out on her own with very little guidance, and is having to deal with all these people playing political games.
At the end of the book you really feel for Nemesis, as she is tested to the limit with what she believes and because she is a Diabolic they have been told that she can't have feelings or care about anyone else but Sidionia, so this throws her through a loop.

Overall a really great book, and I have already bought the sequel, absolutely looking forward to reading that.